<p>Bengaluru: Delhi Capitals handed Royal Challengers Bangalore their first defeat in WPL 2, securing a 25-run victory at a packed M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. </p>.<p>Shafali Verma’s dashing half-century, along with invaluable contributions from the middle order powered DC to 194/5.</p>.<p>RCB had a fair crack at a record WPL run chase, with Smriti Mandhana (74) leading from the front, but the skipper’s dismissal heralded a spectacular collapse. </p>.<p>Despite losing skipper Meg Lanning early, DC got off to a roaring start. Shafali (50), who was handed a life when Shreyanka Patil dropped a regulation catch, finished the powerplay with a six and a four off Sophie Molineux.</p>.<p>One-down batter Alice Capsey (46) was aggressive from the get-go, and particularly severe on RCB’s wayward spinners. </p>.<p>Alice and Shafali rotated the strike well and brought up their 50-run partnership in 28 balls. The Brit welcomed debutante Nadine de Klerk with a massive slog sweep for six, and almost repeated the feat but for Georgia Wareham’s extraordinary AB de Villiers-esque save on the boundary-line.</p>.Living WPL dream and picking idols' brains.<p>Shafali brought up her half century in 30 balls with two sixes to the leg-side boundary off Shreyanka, but failed to connect with her third attempt, handing a catch to Georgia. </p>.<p>DC ended their innings with a flurry of boundaries and posted healthy total of 194/5 as Jess Jonassen (36 n.o.), Marizanne Kapp (32) and Arundhati Reddy bludgeoned 70 runs off the final five overs. </p>.<p>DC’s ploy to bowl spin in the powerplay backfired as Smriti Mandhana (74) went on the attack immediately. </p>.<p>With some elegant punches off the back foot and lofted drives, Smriti set the tone, while Devine muscled consecutive 87m maximums off Minnu Mani to get going after a sluggish start, eventually perishing to a full-toss from Arundhati the next over. </p>.<p>With the required run rate hovering just over 10, Sabbhineni Meghana and Smriti continued to find boundaries regularly, and the latter completed her maiden WPL half century. </p>.<p>Smriti fell for a well-made 74, and the normally non-reactionary Marizanne let out a yelp of joy. </p>.<p>With Ellyse Perry not featuring due to illness, DC closed the game out with masterful death bowling by Shikha Pandey and Jess (3/21). </p>.<p><strong>Brief scores:</strong> Delhi Capitals: 194/5 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 50, Alice Capsey 46, Marizanne Kapp 32, Jess Jonassen 36; Sophie Devine 2-23, Nadine de Klerk 2-35) bt Royal Challengers Bangalore: 169/6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 74, Sabbhineni Meghana 36; Marizanne Kapp 2-35, Jess Jonassen 3-21, Arundhati Reddy 2-38). <strong>PoM:</strong> Marizanne Kapp.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Delhi Capitals handed Royal Challengers Bangalore their first defeat in WPL 2, securing a 25-run victory at a packed M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. </p>.<p>Shafali Verma’s dashing half-century, along with invaluable contributions from the middle order powered DC to 194/5.</p>.<p>RCB had a fair crack at a record WPL run chase, with Smriti Mandhana (74) leading from the front, but the skipper’s dismissal heralded a spectacular collapse. </p>.<p>Despite losing skipper Meg Lanning early, DC got off to a roaring start. Shafali (50), who was handed a life when Shreyanka Patil dropped a regulation catch, finished the powerplay with a six and a four off Sophie Molineux.</p>.<p>One-down batter Alice Capsey (46) was aggressive from the get-go, and particularly severe on RCB’s wayward spinners. </p>.<p>Alice and Shafali rotated the strike well and brought up their 50-run partnership in 28 balls. The Brit welcomed debutante Nadine de Klerk with a massive slog sweep for six, and almost repeated the feat but for Georgia Wareham’s extraordinary AB de Villiers-esque save on the boundary-line.</p>.Living WPL dream and picking idols' brains.<p>Shafali brought up her half century in 30 balls with two sixes to the leg-side boundary off Shreyanka, but failed to connect with her third attempt, handing a catch to Georgia. </p>.<p>DC ended their innings with a flurry of boundaries and posted healthy total of 194/5 as Jess Jonassen (36 n.o.), Marizanne Kapp (32) and Arundhati Reddy bludgeoned 70 runs off the final five overs. </p>.<p>DC’s ploy to bowl spin in the powerplay backfired as Smriti Mandhana (74) went on the attack immediately. </p>.<p>With some elegant punches off the back foot and lofted drives, Smriti set the tone, while Devine muscled consecutive 87m maximums off Minnu Mani to get going after a sluggish start, eventually perishing to a full-toss from Arundhati the next over. </p>.<p>With the required run rate hovering just over 10, Sabbhineni Meghana and Smriti continued to find boundaries regularly, and the latter completed her maiden WPL half century. </p>.<p>Smriti fell for a well-made 74, and the normally non-reactionary Marizanne let out a yelp of joy. </p>.<p>With Ellyse Perry not featuring due to illness, DC closed the game out with masterful death bowling by Shikha Pandey and Jess (3/21). </p>.<p><strong>Brief scores:</strong> Delhi Capitals: 194/5 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 50, Alice Capsey 46, Marizanne Kapp 32, Jess Jonassen 36; Sophie Devine 2-23, Nadine de Klerk 2-35) bt Royal Challengers Bangalore: 169/6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 74, Sabbhineni Meghana 36; Marizanne Kapp 2-35, Jess Jonassen 3-21, Arundhati Reddy 2-38). <strong>PoM:</strong> Marizanne Kapp.</p>